February fiction

Every time I pick up a book written by a surgeon (1, 2) , it is with the knowledge that I will suffer flashbacks. . . To practice medicine, means being touched by stories and people. Some individuals and event leave their mark, and thoughtful and well written books like Direct Red remind and help reframe those experiences.

Better for my soul is the beautiful book The Wilding. Set in 1672 and following the adventures of cider maker Jonathan Dymond, the cadence is superb and already (I'm only a few chapters in) I find myself dreaming of apples and cider. . .

Tonight I tried two. . . Monteith's Crushed apple cider (New Zealand, 4.5%). I thought it was quite floral and ginger scented, while in the mouth there was a hint of sweetness, confection and bubblegum. The Little Creatures Pipsqueak (Western Australia, 5.2%) was drier, tighter and shorter. The aromatics are lovely and clean but I was left unsatisfied.